Brian Ortega eyes future move to lightweight, would be honored to test himself against Charles Oliveira

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Brian Ortega sees lightweight in his future.

Ortega (15-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC), a two-time title challenger at featherweight, doesn’t have the easiest time getting down to 145 pounds, but has never missed weight.

Although he hasn’t given up on his title hopes at featherweight, Ortega sees a move up to lightweight as inevitable.

“Eventually, I do want to go up there and fight at ’55,” Ortega told MMA Junkie and other reporters during UFC on ABC 3 media day on Wednesday. “Who knows? I might just have to shut everyone up and just go up there, and who cares what they say. But in the future, I will be at ’55.”

The UFC’s lightweight title currently is vacant, but it’s former champion Charles Oliveira (33-8 MMA, 21-8 UFC) who has reigned over the division recently. With both men possessing some of the best jiu-jitsu skills in the sport, Ortega would love to challenge himself against the UFC’s all-time leader in submission wins.

“It would be a great fight,” Ortega said. “He’s a tough motherf*cker, man. That guy’s on roll right now. I’m so happy for him because his story is motivating – losing and losing, and it almost seemed like he was going down. Like, everyone forgot about him, and as a fighter, like fighter to fighter, you start maybe thinking, ‘Oh f*ck, is my career coming to an end here?’ Or ‘Am I not the same anymore?’

“And this guy moves up a whole other weight class and just dominates – what, 10 fights in a row? – wins the belt, defends it once, twice already. That sh*t’s motivational. To share the octagon with anyone on that skill level, for me, would be an honor. I think people took it disrespectfully, but as a fighter and as a competitor, I want to test myself against the best.”

Ortega will look to re-enter the title picture Saturday when he squares off against Yair Rodriguez in the main event of UFC on ABC 3, which takes place at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. The main card airs on ABC and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 3.